Source for carbon fiber tube

General discussions about Solo

Moderator: Mike Simanyi

Post Reply
Bill Schenker
Former CSCC Overall Champion
Posts: 1681
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 11:26 am
Club: SCNAX
Car#: 14
Location: Corona del Mar
Contact:

Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Bill Schenker »

I'm looking for thin-walled, 3" o.d., 2' long, CF tubing; anyone know of a good, cheap source for the stuff?

TIA

Bill
MiataRoadster/OS Giken/ChaseCam/
2001 Mazda Miata
#14 DP
User avatar
Mark DeShon
Posts: 473
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:57 pm
Car#: 113

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Mark DeShon »

Depends on what your definition of 'cheap' is. I looked at McMaster Carr and they didn't have anything big enough. Here's what I found on a quick Yahoo search.
http://www.dragonplate.com/ecart/produc ... 872&cID=79" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Hope that helps.
Mark D.
Arthur Grant
Posts: 1215
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2009 8:13 pm
Club: TCC
Car#: 314

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Arthur Grant »

Other than a C at the beginning of their names do Cheap and Carbon Fiber have anything in common? isn't Cheap Carbon Fiber an oxymoron?
User avatar
Robert Puertas
Posts: 1093
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 11:26 am
Club: PSCC
Car#: 44

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Robert Puertas »

http://www.decalfx.com/carbon_2_sheets.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Bill Schenker
Former CSCC Overall Champion
Posts: 1681
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 11:26 am
Club: SCNAX
Car#: 14
Location: Corona del Mar
Contact:

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Bill Schenker »


:unimpressed: :unimpressed: :mrt:
MiataRoadster/OS Giken/ChaseCam/
2001 Mazda Miata
#14 DP
User avatar
Toby Larsson
Former CSCC Overall Champion
Posts: 314
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 11:26 am
Club: PSCC
Location: @4000ft.
Contact:

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Toby Larsson »

Mike S. sent me a link for a project I had in mind, can't find it now but check with Mike. ( I think his hood prop is carbon tube!!)
http://www.elitetint.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; http://www.osgiken.net" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Bob Beamesderfer
Posts: 3376
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 11:26 am
Club: PSCC
Location: Orange
Contact:

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Bob Beamesderfer »

Toby Larsson wrote:Mike S. sent me a link for a project I had in mind, can't find it now but check with Mike. ( I think his hood prop is carbon tube!!)
It is and it adds 25 more horsepower than the billet aluminum hood prop! :lol:
User avatar
Jayson Woodruff
Posts: 1754
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 11:26 am
Club: PSCC
Car#: 51

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Jayson Woodruff »

Hmm, tricky. Such a short run, other materials might be minimally more weight (like grams). If you NEED carbon, how about laying it out yourself or by some fiberglass worker? Three inch, thin wall... I'd make a few spares while you're at it.

Jay W

Bill Schenker wrote:I'm looking for thin-walled, 3" o.d., 2' long, CF tubing; anyone know of a good, cheap source for the stuff?

TIA

Bill
User avatar
Robert Puertas
Posts: 1093
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 11:26 am
Club: PSCC
Car#: 44

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Robert Puertas »

http://www.carbonfibertubeshop.com/more%20tubing.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

or

http://www.offshorespars.com/store/spar ... ubing.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


or, 6061 aluminum:

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cf ... &top_cat=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The thin wall aluminum is going to weigh about 50% more than equivalent CF. Figure 1.4 lbs. for 2 linear feet of 3" od vs. .9 pounds for the thin cf tube. It's also going to cost about half as much assuming both are new and not scrap. However, you might find a scrap piece of aluminum that will work at IMS in Irvine and that would be substantially cheaper...

You might also try Wright Hardware in Costa Mesa. They have all kinds of weird junk. Actually, if you've never been there before, that's probably not a good place for you to discover this close to Nationals...

Intake?
User avatar
Marshall Grice
Former CSCC Overall Champion
Posts: 1617
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 11:27 am
Club: CASOC
Car#: 11

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Marshall Grice »

i'm curious what you're going to use it for?
User avatar
Will Kalman
Posts: 1210
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 11:24 am
Club: PSCC
Car#: 232

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Will Kalman »

Marshall Grice wrote:i'm curious what you're going to use it for?
I'm guessing a lightweight driveshaft. Everything on either end of it has already broken and it's feeling left out. }:)
Aaron Goldsmith
Posts: 2663
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 4:22 pm
Club: CASOC
Car#: 32
Location: HB, CA

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Aaron Goldsmith »

Will Kalman wrote:
Marshall Grice wrote:i'm curious what you're going to use it for?
I'm guessing a lightweight driveshaft. Everything on either end of it has already broken and it's feeling left out. }:)
As a bonus everyone that runs after him will have a flat from all the carbon shards. :lol:
Bill Schenker
Former CSCC Overall Champion
Posts: 1681
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 11:26 am
Club: SCNAX
Car#: 14
Location: Corona del Mar
Contact:

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Bill Schenker »

Jayson Woodruff wrote:Hmm, tricky. Such a short run, other materials might be minimally more weight (like grams). If you NEED carbon, how about laying it out yourself or by some fiberglass worker? Three inch, thin wall... I'd make a few spares while you're at it.

Jay W

Bill Schenker wrote:I'm looking for thin-walled, 3" o.d., 2' long, CF tubing; anyone know of a good, cheap source for the stuff?

TIA

Bill
Yeah, I wouldn't be saving that much over the alu. I have now, though that stuff is pretty thick walled. Thought about laying it up my self, but would have to get a right sized mandrel, a way of vacuum bagging it, etc. - was hoping to find something relatively low cost and thin walled.
MiataRoadster/OS Giken/ChaseCam/
2001 Mazda Miata
#14 DP
Bill Schenker
Former CSCC Overall Champion
Posts: 1681
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 11:26 am
Club: SCNAX
Car#: 14
Location: Corona del Mar
Contact:

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Bill Schenker »

Robert Puertas wrote:http://www.carbonfibertubeshop.com/more%20tubing.html

or

http://www.offshorespars.com/store/spar ... ubing.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


or, 6061 aluminum:

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cf ... &top_cat=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The thin wall aluminum is going to weigh about 50% more than equivalent CF. Figure 1.4 lbs. for 2 linear feet of 3" od vs. .9 pounds for the thin cf tube. It's also going to cost about half as much assuming both are new and not scrap. However, you might find a scrap piece of aluminum that will work at IMS in Irvine and that would be substantially cheaper...

You might also try Wright Hardware in Costa Mesa. They have all kinds of weird junk. Actually, if you've never been there before, that's probably not a good place for you to discover this close to Nationals...

Intake?
Thanks! That spar supplier might be the way to go! $88 for 2'. Less than half of the other stuff I found! And yes, for an intake.
MiataRoadster/OS Giken/ChaseCam/
2001 Mazda Miata
#14 DP
Bill Schenker
Former CSCC Overall Champion
Posts: 1681
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 11:26 am
Club: SCNAX
Car#: 14
Location: Corona del Mar
Contact:

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Bill Schenker »

Marshall Grice wrote:i'm curious what you're going to use it for?
Intake tract.
Last edited by Bill Schenker on Tue Jul 27, 2010 2:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
MiataRoadster/OS Giken/ChaseCam/
2001 Mazda Miata
#14 DP
User avatar
Mike Simanyi
Former Club Chair
Posts: 2460
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 11:26 am
Club: No$
Car#: 6

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Mike Simanyi »

Uh, you mean "tract?" I don't think anyone's racing around under your hood... ;)

Edited to add: ... except maybe wayward pieces parts.

I used the first link Robert provided, http://www.carbonfibertubeshop.com/more%20tubing.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mike
User avatar
Marshall Grice
Former CSCC Overall Champion
Posts: 1617
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 11:27 am
Club: CASOC
Car#: 11

Re: Source for carbon fiber tube

Post by Marshall Grice »

for an intake pipe i'd use kevlar instead of carbon. Kevlar is lighter and you don't need the strength of carbon. plus it's probably cheaper.
Post Reply